M-1 Global’s Director of Operations, Evgeni Kogan, denied an
MMAFighting.com
report Tuesday that stated the company’s Holland-based office
had recently closed its doors. Kogan also denied that the
promotional/management group is in a state of “panic” and disarray
following its client Fedor
Emelianenko’s loss to Fabricio
Werdum at Strikeforce/M-1 Global “Fedor vs. Werdum” on June 26
in San Jose, Calif.

Kogan told Sherdog.com on Tuesday that the company recently fired
four employees in its Holland office as part of its ongoing
restructuring of the organization, but that the office remains
fully functional with seven employees. Kogan, who was hired in
January specifically to reassess the company’s operations, said he
wasn’t sure if it would be necessary to replace the recently
dismissed employees and that he remains a part of the Dutch office
himself.

In addition, Kogan said M-1 Global currently has more than 60
full-time personnel internationally, with offices in St.
Petersburg, Russia (30 employees); Ukraine (20 employees); the U.S.
(5 employees); as well as individual affiliates in Asia. Kogan said
all of the offices overlap in M-1 Global’s day-to-day operations.
Kogan said the Holland branch has been and will still be considered
the organization’s main headquarters, as it presides mostly over
Emelianenko’s projects.

“This is just four people out of 70 and there’s constant
crossover,” said Kogan. “We have people from the Russian office
working in the States. We have people from Holland traveling (to
shows.) Those four people weren’t four out of 11; it was four of
70.”

M-1 Global will promote a Moscow event on July 22 and the next leg
of its “Selection” series on Aug. 7 at Bally’s Hotel and Casino in
Atlantic City, N.J., said Kogan.

The M-1 representative stated that all of the fighters M-1 has
contracted -- including its Dutch athletes -- are still scheduled
to compete.

Kogan said the report stemmed from “a disgruntled former employee”
who spoke to a Russian Web site. Kogan suggested that other Web
sites had translated the report and used its information.

Kogan also denied that M-1 has lost investors in the wake of
Emelianenko’s defeat.

“It’s been the same investors and leadership since 1997,” said
Kogan. “It’s been the same people (involved) for 13 years. Nothing
has changed. For 13 years, it’s been the same. It’s the oldest
running (MMA) organization in its current form.”

Kogan said Russian businessman Sergei Matvienko, who was present at
June 26’s co-promoted event with M-1 Global President Vadim
Finkelchstein, remains a steadfast and “substantial” investor.

And though Kogan said himself and other M-1 Global employees were
upset following’s Emelianenko’s first loss in 29 fights and nearly
10 years, the defeat has little bearing on the business mechanics
of the organization moving forward.

“The business side of things doesn’t change,” said Kogan. “If
Michael Schumacher doesn’t win a Formula 1 season, does (it cost
him) half the money in the next season? It’s ridiculous. The
business reality has nothing to do with one loss. It’s completely
misguided to think that it makes any difference.”

Emelianenko has one more bout under M-1 and Strikeforce’s current
co-promotional contract. Both entities have independently stated
they will meet again shortly to explore contract extensions already
laid out in the agreement. Kogan downplayed that Emelianenko’s
recent defeat would affect M-1 Global’s negotiation power with the
U.S.-based promotion. Kogan stated that the 33-year-old Russian
fighter -- considered one of the greatest mixed martial arts’
fighters ever -- is still a commodity.

“Fedor has status in this sport, financially and in terms of
perspective,” said Kogan. “To believe any different is to be out of
touch with the business reality of mixed martial arts or any other
sport for that matter.”

Kogan also said it was absurd for observers to claim that M-1
Global never banked on Emelianenko losing in the future.

“I think it’s the same kind of statement as if you said, ‘We’re
morons,’” said Kogan.